Jorge Pérez, a personal friend of Donald Trump and one of the most influential Latinos in the United States, revealed that Related Group will make an investment of 100 million US dollars in Mexico, for the construction of luxury real estate developments.

“We have ongoing projects in Vallarta, Zihuatanejo and Cancún, with an investment of 100 million dollars, and with 1 billion dollars sales value. We are looking for new projects in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara,” said Jorge Pérez, President and CEO of Related Group real estate firm in an interview with Forbes Mexico.

Perez loves San Miguel de Allende, and Related Group once planned a “huge project” for this region of Guanajuato; however, the real estate market crisis of 2009 forced them to leave Mexico.

Pérez noted: “Today the market is more safe and we have seen that Mexico is doing very well.”

He also referred to Latin America, in particular to Argentina, where the real estate firm is currently carrying out great future projects with the cooperation of president Mauricio Macri; and Brazil where, despite the economic recession and political crisis, two projects by Related Group are already on the move.

Jorge Pérez (Photo: Forbes / Michelle Burgos)

Pérez asked Trump to leave behind rhetoric against Mexico.

The Cuban-American businessman, with a fortune of $ 2.8 billion USD and number 239 on the Forbes’ billionaires list, wrote the night of November 9 an email to the president-elect of the world’s main economy, and asked him to please leave behind the rhetoric that he used to win the presidential election of the United States.

“The progress in the relation between the United States and Mexico demands free trade. In that sense, free market treaties are very important because the world is joining together in geo-political blocks. There is one in Asia with China. Europe already has certain problems, and the United States needs to participate with the Northamerican block. Therefore, we have to cooperate and scratch each other’s back. “

The aforementioned comment refers to the Republican’s electoral pledge on trade tariffs of 45 and 35 percent to China and Mexico respectively, regarding their exports, as well as the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The businessman declared that obviously the United States should not be making sweaters or sheets because they are 10,000 times cheaper in China, the Philippines and other Asian countries, but should be exporting technology, which is a more efficient and economic profitable business for them.

And he concluded saying that Mexico has a privileged strategic location between North and South America, and should be taking advantage of this situation.